Wire-twisting hand tool



P 1966 R. KLANG ETAL 3,270,782

WIRE-TWISTING HAND TOOL Filed March 25, 1964 lNVENTORS LEON R. KLANG RALPH R. TWITCHELL ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,270,782 WIRE-TWISTING HAND TOOL Leon R. Klang, Hickman Ave., and Ralph R. Twitchell,

Rte. 4, both of Fulton, Mo. Filed Mar. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 354,556 14 Claims. (Cl. 140123) This invention relates generally to improvements in a pliers, and more particularly to improvement in a hand tool for rapidly and efficiently twisting the ends of the wires together.

The construction and usage of the common plier and the common type of wire twisting means operated by turning mechanisms are well known. With such heretofore conventional types of devices, the wire twisting operation is slow and the twist is not usually uniform because it is dependent on the skill of the mechanic. It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a convenient self-contained hand tool so constructed and designed as to enable the operator to grasp the tool with one hand and to engage the work in much the same manner as would be eflected by a pair of pliers, and also to twist the work, if desired, by simply moving the plier handles in a translatory cranking action with the same hand without disturbing the position or grip of the hand. An important object is achieved by the provision of a hand tool having a pair of pivoted handles, a pair of pivoted jaws, and means interconnecting one jaw with one handle whereby the jaw can be opened or closed upon manipulation of the handles, the other jaw being connected to the other handle so that a translatory cranking movement of the handles will cause a rotation of the aws.

Another important objective is realized in that a swivel means operatively interconnects the above mentioned other jaw and handle to provide a swivel axis offset from the longitudinal axis of the jaws in order that the translatory cranking movement of the handles causes rotation of the swivel axis around the longitudinal jaw axis to provide the desired rotation of the jaws.

Still another important object is attained by the structural arrangement in which the swivel means includes a pairof rotatively connected members, one of which is fixed tothe jaw and the other of which is fixed to the handle, whereby the translatory cranking movement causes relative rotation of the members about the swivel axis and causes rotation of the jaws.

An important object is afiorded by the provision of a bearing carried by and rotat-ively interconnecting the swivel members, the bearing defining a swivel axis that is offset from the longitudinal axis of the jaws one of which is fixed to one of the swivel members. A translatory cranking movement of the handles causes relative rotation of the swivel members about the swivel axis, and causes rotation of the jaws about the longitudinal jaw axis by rotating thesw-ivel axis around the longitudinal jaw axis.

Another important objective is provided by the provision of a circular race and associated bearing elements that are carried by the swivel members and which define a rotative swivel axis offset from the longitudinal jaw axis, so that the circular race and associated bearing elements cause relative rotation of the swivel members about the swivel axis and cause rotation of the jaws about the longitudinal jaw axis, while the handles are grasped and moved by one hand in a tra-rrslatory, circular cranking path, all without releasing or changing the position or grasp of the hand.

Yet another important objective is achieved by the provision of a rod that extends between and in-terconnects one handle with one jaw so as to open or close the jaws upon pivotal action of the handles. The rod is rotatively mounted to either or both of the hand-1e and jaw which it operatively interconnects.

An important object is realized by extending the rod substantially along the swivel axis in order to provide a compact structural unit. Specifically, the swivel members are provided with aligned openings at the swivel axis through which the rod freely extends.

Another important objective is to attain a wire twisting hand tool that is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufiacture and assemble, highly efiicient in operation, and which can be readily utilized by anyone with little or no instruction.

The foregoing and numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, particularly when considered in connection with the accompanying, drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the hand tool;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the hand tool with a part of the swivel members cut away in order to clearly show the bearing and with the handles and swivel members relatively move-d to illustrate the rotation of the jaws;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, side elevational view, partly in cross section to illustrate the bearing construction and the mechanism interconnecting the movable handle and movable jaw, and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view as see-n along line 44 of FIG. 1.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawings, and first to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the hand tool includes a pair of handles 10 and 11 pivotally interconnected by a pin 12. As will be clear upon later description of parts, the handle 11 is fixed while the handle 10 is relatively movable about the pivot axis of pin 12. The movable handle 10 includes an out-turned flange 13 in which a hole 14 is formed. The lower portion of the hole is relatively enlarged to provide a cup-like recess 15 opening on the bottom side of flange 13, as is best shown in FIG. 3.

The handles 10 and 11 have a relatively opposed and outwardly curved or bowed configuration, as is usual in plier handles in order to provide a comfortable and effective grip for the operators'hand- Upon squeezing and releasing the hand grasp on the handles 10-11, the handle 10 will move pivotally about the pivot axis of pin 12.

The hand tool also includes a pair of jaws 16 and 17 pivotally interconnected by pin 18. As will appear later, the jaw 17 is considered fixed, while the other jaw 16 is movable about the pivot axis of pin 18 upon manipulation of the movable handle 10. The jaws 16-17 include serrated inwardly facing surfaces adapted to grip objects such as the ends of wires to be twisted, for example. The jaws 16-17, when closed, define a longitudinal jaw axis indicated by reference numeral 19 in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, about which the jaws 1'6-17 rotate in twisting the wire.

The movable jaw 16 includes a laterally extending flange 20 having a hole 21 therethrough. The upper portion of the hole 21 is enlarged to provide a cup-like recess 22 that opens upwardly.

The means interconnecting the movable handle 10 and the movable jaw 16 includes an elongate rod 23 that extends between and interconnects the flanges 13 and 20. Specifically, the rod 23 is mounted loosely in and extends freely through the hole 14 in handle flange 13 and the hole 21 is the jaw flange 20. An enlarged head 24 is carried by the lower end of rod 23, the head 24 being received in the cup-like recess 15 of the handle flange 13. The head 24 is provided with a curvilinear surface that rocks and swivels on the curvilinear surface forming the recess 15. Another enlarged head 25 is formed on the upper end of rod 23 and is received in the cup-like recess 22 of jaw flange 20. Similarly, the enlarged head 25 is provided with a curvilinear surface that rocks and swivels on the curvilinear surface forming the recess 22.

It will be noted from the above description, that the rod 23 is free to rotate and rock slightly with respect to both the handle fiange 13 and the jaw flange 20. Because of the particular connection of the rod 23, the movement of handle will be transmitted by rod 23 to the movable jaw 16 so that upon squeezing the handles 10-11, the jaws 16-17 will be clamped shut. Of course, the mechanism could be arranged so that the rod 23 would operate between the movable handle 10 and movable jaw 16 so that the rod 23 would push the jaws 16-17 shut upon squeezing of the handles 10-11.

The swivel mechanism interconnecting the fixed handle 11 and the fixed jaw 17 includes a lower swivel plate member 26 that is fixed to the handle 11, and includes an upper swivel plate member 27 that is fixed to the jaw 15. Located between and carried by the swivel plate members 26 and 27is a circular race 30 and associated ball bearings 31 which define a swivel axis for the plate members 26 and 27. The swivel axis is indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3 by reference numeral 32.

It will be importantly noted that the swivel axis 32 defined by the bearing between fixed handle 11 and fixed jaw 17 is later-ally offset from the longitudinal axis 19 of the jaws 16-17. The longitudinal axis 19 and swivel axis 32 are substantially parallel.

In the preferred embodiment, the plane of the handles 10-11 is in the plane of the swivel axis 32. Furthermore, the rod 23 interconnecting the movable handle 10 and movable jaw 16 extends substantially along and in the swivel axis 32.

The lower swivel plate member 26 is provided with an opening 33 and the upper swivel plate member 27 is pro vided with an opening 34, such openings 33 and 34 being aligned at the swivel axis 32. The rod 23 extends freely through the openings 33 and 34 and outwardly beyond each side of the swivel plate members 26 and 27.

A compression coil spring 35 is located about the rod 23, one end of the spring 35 engaging the under side of the movable jaw flange while the other end seats on the lower swivel plate member 26, as is best illustrated in FIG. 3. It will be noted that the plate member opening 34 is larger than the other plate member opening 33 so that the spring 35 extends freely through the opening 34 but not through the opening 33. The compression spring 35 tends to urge the movable jaw 16 toward an open position shown in FIG. 3, and consequently tends to urge the movable handle 10 through the linkage rod 23 toward the expanded position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3.

It is thought that the operation and functional advantages of the hand tool have become fully apparent from the foregoing detailed description of parts, but for completeness of disclosure, such usage will be briefly described.

The hand tool can be used in much the same manner as the heretofore conventional pliers in that the jaws 16-17 can be manipulated to clamp and manipulate any desired object incident to squeezing and gripping the handles 10-11. When the operator grips the handles 10-11 with one hand, and squeezes, the movable handle 10 will pull the rod 23 and consequently swing the movable jaw 16 about its pivot pin 18 toward or into clamping relation with the associated jaw 17. When the gripping pressure is released. on the handles 10-11, the spring 35 swings the movable jaw 16 toward an open position away from its associated jaw 17, and the rod 23 swings the movable handle 10 toward its expanded position.

Under some conditions and in some fields of usage, it is desirable to twist the ends of wires together with this hand tool. Under these conditions, the operator grasps the handles 10-11 of the tool with one hand and engages the ends of the wires betwen the jaws 16-17. While holding the wire ends clamped between the jaws 16-17 and while maintaining the closing pressure of the hand grip on the handles 10-11, the operator swings the handles 10-11 in a translatory cranking movement with the same hand without disturbing the position or grasp of the hand. This action causes a relative rotation of the swivel plate members 26 and 27 about the swivel axis 32 as a result of the circular race 30 and associated ball bearings 31. Simultaneously, such action in cooperation with the bearing structure betwen the plate members 26 and 27 causes the swivel axis 32 to move in a circular path around the longitudinal axis 19 of the jaws 16-17. Because the swivel plate members 26 and 27 move around the longitudinal axis 19. It will be importantly noted that the longitudinal jaw axis 19 is fixed in position because the jaws 16-17 are clamped to the wire ends. Upon rotation of the jaws 16-17 about the longitudinal jaw axis 19, the wire ends clamped betwen the jaws are twisted.

The obvious advantage of this wire twisting hand tool is that the handles 10-11 do not move or otherwise change position within the operators hand. On the contrary, the operator maintains the same hand grip at all times while moving the handles 10-11 in the translatory, circular cranking path.

Although the invention has been described by making detailed reference to a single preferred embodiment, such detail is to be understood is an instructive, rather than in any restrictive sense, many variants being possible within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

We claim as our invention:

1. A hand tool comprising:

(a) a pair of pivotally interconnected handles,

(b) a pair of pivotally interconnected jaws,

(0) means interconnecting one handle with one jaw so as to open or close the jaws upon pivotal action of the handles, and

(d) swivel means offset from the longitudinal axis of the jaws and interconnecting the other handle with the other jaw so that translatory cranking movement of the handles causes rotation of the jaws.

2. A hand tool comprising:

(a) a pair of pivotally interconnected handles,

(b) a pair of pivotally interconnected jaws,

(c) means interconnecting one handle with one jaw 50 as to open or close the jaws upon pivotal action of the handles, and

(d) swivel means offset from the longitudinal axis of the jaws and interconnecting the other handle with the other jaw so that translatory cranking movement of the handles in the plane of the axis of the swivel means and around the longitudinal axis of the jaws causes rotation of the jaws about the longitudinal axis of the jaws.

3. A hand tool comprising:

(a) a pair of pivotally interconnected handles,

(b) a pair of pivotally interconnected jaws,

(c) means interconnecting one handle with one jaw so as to open or close the jaws upon pivotal action of the handles,

(d) a pair of rotative'ly connected members,

(e) the other jaw being fixed to one member, and

(f) the other handle being fixed to the other of said members so that translatory cranking movement of the handles causes relative rotation of the members and rotation of the jaws about the longitudinal axis of the jaws.

4. A hand tool comprising:

(a) a pair of pivotally interconnected handles,

(b) a pair of pivotally interconnected jaws,

(c) means interconnecting one handle with one jaw so as to open or close the jaws upon pivotal action of the handles,

(d) a first swivel member fixed to the other jaw,

(e) a second swivel member fixed to the other handle,

and

(f) a rotative bearing interconnecting the swivel members so that translatory cranking movement of the handles causes relative rotation of the swivel members and causes rotation of the jaws about the longitudinal-axis of the jaws.

5. A hand tool comprising:

(a) a pair of pivotally interconnected handles,

(b) a pair of pivotally interconnected jaws,

() means interconnecting one handle with one jaw so as to open or close the jaws upon pivotal action of the handles,

(d) a first and a second swivel member,

(e) a bearing carried by and rotatively interconnecting the swivel members,

(f) the other jaw being fixed to the first swivel member so that the longitudinal axis of the jaws is offset from the swivel axis, and

(g) the other handle being fixed to the second swivel member offset from the swivel axis so that translatory cranking movement of the handles causes relative rotation of the swivel members about the swivel axis and causes rotation of the jaws about the longitudirial axis of the jaws.

6. A hand tool comprising:

(a) a pair of pivoted handles,

(b) a pair of pivoted jaws,

(c) a rod extending between and interconnecting one handle with one jaw so as to open or close the jaws upon pivotal action of the handles, the rod being rotatively mounted to at least one of thesaid one handle and said one jaw,

(d) a member fixed to the other jaw, and

(e) the other handle being operatively connected to the member to provide a swivel axis offset from the longitudinal axis of the jaws so that translatory cranking movement of the handles causes rotation of the jaws about the longitudinal axis of the jaws.

7. A hand tool as defined in claim 6, in which:

(f) the rod extends substantially along the swivel axis.

8. A hand tool comprising:

(a) a pair of pivoted handles,

(b) a pair of pivoted jaws,

(c) a rod extending between and interconnecting one handle with one jaw so as to open or close the jaws upon pivotal action of the handles, the rod being rotatively mounted to at least one of the said one handle and said one jaw,

(d) first and second swivel members rotatively interconnected,

(e) the other jaw fixed to the first swivel member offset from the axis of the swivel members, and

(f) the other handle fixed to the second swivel member so that translatory cranking movement of the handles causes rotation of the swivel members about the swivel axis and causes rotation of the jaws about the longitudinal axis of the jaws.

9. A hand tool as defined in claim 8, in which:

(g) the rod extends substantially along the swivel axis of the swivel members.

10. A hand tool as defined in claim 8, in which:

(g) the swivel members are provided with aligned openings at the swivel axis through which the rod freely extends for its interconnection of the said one handle with the said one jaw.

11. A hand tool comprising:

(a) a pair of pivoted handles,

(b) a pair of pivoted jaws,

(c) a rod extending between and interconnecting one handle with one jaw so as to open or close the jaws upon pivotal action of the handles, the rod being rotatively mounted to at least one of the said one handle and said one jaw,

(d) a first and a second swivel member,

(e) a circular race and associated bearing elements carried by and rotatively interconnecting the swivel elements, the circular race defining a swivel axis,

(f) the other jaw fixed to the first swivel member so that the longitudinal axis of the jaws is offset from the swivel axis, and

(g) the other handle fixed to the second swivel member so that translatory cranking movement of the handles causes relative rotation of the swivel members about the swivel axis and causes rotation of the jaws about the longitudinal axis of the jaws.

12. A hand tool as defined in claim 11, in which:

(g) the rod extends substantially along the swivel axis in connecting the said one handle and said one jaw.

13. A hand tool as defined in claim 12, in which:

(h) the swivel members are provided with aligned openings at the swivel axis through which the rod freely extends.

14. A hand tool comprising:

(a) a pair of pivoted handles,

(b) a pair of pivoted jaws,

(c) a pair of pivoted swivel plate members,

((1) a circular race and associated bearing elements carried by and interconnecting the swivel plate members, the race defining a swivel axis,

(e) one of the jaws being fixed to one plate member to define a longitudinal jaw axis offset from the swivel axis,

(f) one of the handles being fixed to the other plate member offset from the swivel axis,

g) the plate members being provided with aligned openings at the swivel axis,

(h) a rod attached to the other handle and attached to the other jaw, the rod extending freely through the aligned openings substantially along the swivel axis, the rod being rotatively connected to at least the associated handle or jaw to enable relative rotation, the rod opening or closing the jaws on pivotal action of the handles, and

(i) the circular race and associated bearing elements causing relative rotation of the swivel plate members about the swivel axis, causing rotation of the swivel axis around the longitudinal jaw axis, and causing rotation of the jaws about the longitudinal axis of the jaws upon translatory cranking movement of the handles.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,032,415 3/1936 Hirsch l401 19 2,391,696 12/1945 Goddard -119 3,092,152 6/ 1963 Neif 1401 19 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

L. A. LARSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A HAND TOOL COMPRISING: (A) A PAIR OF PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTED HANDLES, (B) A PAIR OF PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTED JAWS, (C) MEANS INTERCONNECTING ONE HANDLE WITH ONE JAW SO AS TO OPEN OR CLOSE THE JAWS UPON PIVOTAL ACTION OF THE HANDLES, AND (D) SWIVEL MEANS OFFSET FROM THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE JAWS AND INTERCONNECTING THE OTHER HANDLE WITH THE OTHER JAW SO THAT TRANSLATORY CRANKING MOVEMENT OF THE HANDLES CAUSES ROTATION OF THE JAWS. 